The present invention relates generally to bicycles and, more particularly, to a bicycle fork and steerer assemblies that dampen fork leg vibration to mitigate the transmission of road vibration to the handlebars and to the rider therefrom.
Bicycle fork leg and steerer assemblies commonly include a pair of forks that extend from a fork crown in a downward direction and flank a front wheel. An axle or skewer passes through the wheel and cooperates with a fork tip formed at a distal end of each fork leg so as to secure the wheel to the fork legs. A steerer tube extends from the fork crown in an opposite direction relative to the fork legs and rotatable cooperates with a head tube of a bicycle frame. A handlebar is secured to the steerer tube such that rotation of the handlebar about the axis of rotation of the steerer tube effectuates steering of the front wheel assembly.
Many bicycles have fork legs and fork tips that are formed as substantially rigid, generally linear, one-piece assemblies. The steerer tube is commonly aligned with a longitudinal axis of the fork legs and/or the fork legs extend in a substantially linear and slightly forward manner relative to their interaction with the fork crown. During operation of the underlying bicycle, vibrations associated with interaction of the wheel with the road and rotational operation of the wheel generates vibrations that are communicated through the steerer and fork leg assembly to the fork crown, the head tube of the bicycle frame, and to the handlebars attached thereto.
To mitigate the vibrations subjected to the rider, many riders of off-road or mountain bicycles equip their bicycles with vibration dampening handlebar grips. Such grips commonly include a robust connection modality for securing the grips to the handlebar and a flexible or compressible media selected to allow secure interaction of the rider's hands with the handlebar to maintain controlled operation of the bicycle and which absorb at least some of the vibrations attributable to the fork leg assembly and ultimately communicated to the handlebar. Unfortunately, such vibration isolating grip assemblies do not resolve or otherwise mitigate vibration of the steerer assembly. Accordingly, many steerer and fork leg assemblies must be provided with a robust construction which is capable of withstanding the vibrations associated with extended operation the bicycles so equipped.
Bicycles intended to be ridden upon paved surfaces, commonly referred to as road bikes, are provided with a generally curvilinear handlebar assembly. Such handlebars provide various grip positions so that a rider can periodically adjust the position of their torso to reduce fatigue and improve aerodynamic function. Commonly, such handlebars allow the rider to maintain a “tuck” position and a slightly more upright, but still forward inclined portion. Unfortunately, such handlebar assemblies commonly have distal ends that are ill-positioned for use with many of the known padded grip assemblies. In an effort to reduce agitation of the rider's hands caused by interaction with such handlebars, many riders/manufacturers commonly wrap such handlebars with grip tape and/or padded, leather, or foam type tapes to improve the ability of the rider to grip such bars. Even with such wraps, there is still a desire to mitigate the transmission of vibrations to the rider and to the bicycle frame due to the vibrational oscillation of the steerer and fork assembly.
Others mitigate vibration of the fork leg and steerer assembly via manipulation of the construction of the fork leg. Commonly, such configurations require the formation of a passage through the structure of the fork leg for accommodating a vibration dampening member. Unfortunately, the formation of the passage through the respective fork legs alters the cross-sectional shape of the fork leg and commonly increases the amount of material required to form the respective fork legs, increases post fork leg formation manufacturing processes, and increases the aerodynamic profile of the respective fork legs. Use of such leg assemblies without the respective vibration dampener creates fork legs with substantial cavities or passages that detract from the esthetic appearance of the respective fork leg and even further detrimentally affect the aerodynamic performance of the fork leg assembly.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a bicycle steerer and fork leg assembly that is constructed to absorb and/or dissipate a portion of the vibration of the steerer assembly associated with bicycle operation. There is a need for a bicycle steerer and fork leg assembly that better isolates the rider from the vibrations associated with operation of the bicycle by mitigating vibration of the steerer assembly before such vibrations are communicated to the handlebars and/or the frame of the bicycle. It would also be desirable to provide a steerer and fork leg assembly that is both robust and lightweight and which tolerates increased vertical compliance of the fork leg assembly so as to further improve the vibration limiting construction of the fork leg and steerer tube assembly.